Sealing member, sealing assembly and method for roadway curb and gutter intersections

Claim 2

A sealing member for bridging a gap between curb and second slab portions of adjacent roadway slabs in the region of the intersection of said curb and second slab portions, comprising: a first elastomeric sealing portion adapted to bridge the portion of a gap between curb portions of adjacent roadway slabs and to be sealingly secured thereto; and a second elastomeric sealing flap portion lying along a line of intersection with and extending away from said first portion, said second flap portion having sides edges extending away from said first portion and between said side edges defining generally flat flap segments and at least one preformed bulge having a point of beginning between said side edges and extending toward and terminating at one of said side edges, said bulge progressively increasing in size from said point of beginning to said one side edge, thereby enabling said second flap portion to be adjustably skewed in the planes of the flat flap segments to one side in the region of said bulge into a plurality of angular positions to conform to a gap between said second portions which is skewed at an angle to said curb portions, said second flap portion being adapted to bridge the gap between said second slab portions and to be sealingly secured to said second slab portions to complete the sealing of a roadway gap.

Claim 3

A sealing member in accordance with claim 1, in which the cross-sectional area of said bulge taken along uniformly spaced parallel planes transversely intersecting said bulge progressively increases sidewardly to said one side edge.

Claim 4

A sealing member in accordance with claim 1, in which said bulge defines a concave region opening downwardly.

Claim 5

A sealing member in accordance with claim 3, in which said concave region generally has the form of a longitudinal half of a cone, with the apex thereof defining said point of beginning, and with the base thereof being coincident with said one side edge.

Claim 6

A sealing member in accordance with claim 1, in which said second flap portion defines a pair of oppositely directed preformed bulges, said bulges having their respective points of beginning located centrally of said second flap portion.

Claim 7

A sealing member in accordance with claim 5, in which one of the edges of each of said aligned bulges lies along a line generally pArallel to, but spaced from the intersection of said first and second elastomeric sealing portions.

Claim 8

A sealing member in accordance with claim 1, in which each of said elastomeric sealing portions defines an elongate, centrally located upstanding arched membrane portion, said membrane portions merging into each other and being continuous, said membrane portions being adapted to bridge a gap.

Claim 9

A sealing member in accordance with claim 1, in which said first and second elastomeric sealing portions are disposed generally at right angles to each other, thereby to precondition said sealing member for securance to curb and gutter portions of adjacent roadway slabs.

Claim 10

A sealing member in accordance with claim 1, in which said second flap portion in a stable, neutral condition extends away from said line of intersection at an angle of other than 90*.

Claim 11

A sealing member in accordance with claim 9, in which said preformed bulge accommodates a range of skew angles of from about 30* to about 60*.

Claim 12

A curb-gutter gap sealing assembly for dynamically sealing a gap between curb and gutter portions of adjacent relatively movable roadway slabs where said gap between said gutter portions is skewed at an angle to the longitudinal direction of said curb portions comprising: a pair of elongated parallel side pads adapted for securance to curb portions of adjacent roadway slabs, an elongate, arched flexible joint membrane sealingly secured to said side pads to prevent the passage of water and debris between the joint membrane and the side pads, an elastomeric sealing flap projecting away from one end of said pads and having side edges extending away from said pads, said side edges defining between them a generally flat flap segment, said sealing flap also defining at least one bulge having a point of beginning between said side edges, and extending toward and terminating at one of said side edges, said bulge progressively increasing in size from said point of beginning to said one side edge, said sealing flap further defining an elongate arched membrane portion extending away from said curb gap sealing member, said membrane portion being continuous with said joint membrane and of like configuration, said sealing flap being movable to a plurality of skewed positions about said bulge, in each of which positions said bulge may be flattened, and said membrane portion may be directed at an angle so that the membrane portion lies in the direction of the skew of a gutter gap portion, said sealing flap being adapted for sealing securance to adjacent gutter portions of roadway slabs and said side pads being adapted for sealing securance to adjacent curb portions of roadway slabs, thereby to seal the intersection between adjacent curb and gutter portions of roadway slabs.

Claim 13

A curb-gutter gap sealing assembly for dynamically sealing a gap between curb and gutter portions of adjacent relatively movable roadway slabs where said gap between said gutter portions is skewed at an angle to the longitudinal direction of said curb portions comprising: a pair of elongated parallel side pads adapted for securance to curb portions of adjacent roadway slabs, an elongate, arched flexible joint membrane sealingly secured to said side pads to prevent the passage of water and debris between the joint membrane and the side pads, an elastomeric sealing flap projecting away from one end of said pads and having side edges extending away from said pads, said side edges defining between them a generally flat flap segment, said sealing flap also defining at least one bulge having a point of beginning between said side edges, and extending toward and terminating at one of said side edges, said bulge progressively increasing in size from said point of beginning to said one side edge, said sealing flap further defining an elongate arched membrane portion extending away from said curb gap sealing member, said membrane portion being continuous with said joint membrane and of like configuration, said sealing flap being movable to a plurality of skewed positions about said bulge, in each of which positions said bulge may be flattened, and said membrane portion may be directed at an angle so that the membrane portion lies in the direction of the skew of a gutter gap portion, said sealing flap being adapted for sealing securance to adjacent gutter portions of roadway slabs and said side pads being adapted for sealing securance to adjacent curb portions of roadway slabs, thereby to seal the intersection between adjacent curb and gutter portions of roadway slabs.

Claim 14

A curb-gutter gap sealing assembly in accordance with claim 11, in which said elastomeric sealing flap projects generally at right angles to said side pads, thereby to precondition said sealing assembly for securance to curb and gutter portions which are disposed at right angles to each other.

Claim 15

A curb-gutter gap sealing assembly in accordance with claim 11, in which said sealing flap defines two oppositely directed bulges.

Claim 16

A curb-gutter gap sealing assembly in accordance with claim 13, in which said bulges have their respective points of beginning located on opposite sides of the membrane portion.

Claim 17

A sealing member for dynamically sealing a gap between curb and gutter portions of adjacent roadway slabs in the region of the intersection of said curb and gutter portions, comprising: a first elastomeric sealing flap portion adapted to bridge the portion of a gap between curb portions of adjacent roadway slabs and to be sealingly secured thereto; and a second elastomeric flap portion extending away from said first flap portion generally at right angles thereto, said flap portions defining a line of intersection therebetween, each of said flap portions definIng elongate, centrally-located, upstanding arched membrane portions extending away from said line of intersection, said membrane portions merging into each other and being continuous and being adapted to bridge a roadway gap and to permit relative movement of curb and gutter portions under dynamic loading, said second flap portion having side edges extending away from said first flap portion and defining generally flat flap segments between said side edges, said second flap portion further defining two oppositely directed bulges spaced from said line of intersection, each of said bulges defining a downwardly opening concave region generally in the form of a longitudinal half of a cone, with the apex of each of said bulges being located on opposite sides of the second flap membrane portion, and the base of each of said bulges generally coinciding with a respective second flap side edge, thereby enabling said second flap portion to be adjustably skewed to one side to conform to a gap between gutter portions which is skewed at an angle to the longitudinal direction of said curb portions, said second flap portion being adapted for sealing securance to said gutter portions to complete the dynamic sealing of a gap.

Claim 18

A sealing member for dynamically sealing a gap between curb and gutter portions of adjacent roadway slabs in the region of the intersection of said curb and gutter portions, comprising: a first elastomeric sealing flap portion adapted to bridge the portion of a gap between curb portions of adjacent roadway slabs and to be sealingly secured thereto; and a second elastomeric flap portion extending away from said first flap portion generally at right angles thereto, said flap portions defining a line of intersection therebetween, each of said flap portions definIng elongate, centrally-located, upstanding arched membrane portions extending away from said line of intersection, said membrane portions merging into each other and being continuous and being adapted to bridge a roadway gap and to permit relative movement of curb and gutter portions under dynamic loading, said second flap portion having side edges extending away from said first flap portion and defining generally flat flap segments between said side edges, said second flap portion further defining two oppositely directed bulges spaced from said line of intersection, each of said bulges defining a downwardly opening concave region generally in the form of a longitudinal half of a cone, with the apex of each of said bulges being located on opposite sides of the second flap membrane portion, and the base of each of said bulges generally coinciding with a respective second flap side edge, thereby enabling said second flap portion to be adjustably skewed to one side to conform to a gap between gutter portions which is skewed at an angle to the longitudinal direction of said curb portions, said second flap portion being adapted for sealing securance to said gutter portions to complete the dynamic sealing of a gap.

Claim 21

A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein said bulge is not fully flattened, and the further step of downwardly folding the remainder of said bulge into a flat configuration prior to securing sealingly said flap portion to said gutter portions.

Claim 22

A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the step of pulling said flap portion to a bulge flattening position causes a further portion of said flap to overlap and fold, said method further comprising the step of folding said overlapping portion into a flat configuration prior to sealingly securing said flap portion to said gutter portions.